On multiple levels, Tuesday’s election results raised questions about the Christian right’s agenda on American politics, eight years after the movement helped sweep President George W. Bush into a second term and opened the era of state bans on same-sex marriage.

“For the first time tonight, same-sex marriage has been passed by popular vote in Maine and Maryland,” said Robert P. Jones, a Washington-based pollster who specializes in questions about politics and religion.

“The historic nature of these results are hard to overstate,” Jones said. “Given the strong support of younger Americans for same-sex marriage, it is unlikely this issue will reappear as a major national wedge issue.”

Some conservative evangelical leaders echoed that line. Albert Mohler, who heads the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, said on Twitter that votes for same-sex marriage suggested that “we are witnessing a fundamental moral realignment of the country.”

A Tuesday ballot measure to legalize same-sex marriage in Washington state is still pending. In Minnesota, voters rejected a Tuesday measure that would have banned same-sex marriage there.

Obama’s victory also raised questions about the Christian right's influence in the electorate.

Though evangelical leaders as diverse as the Southern Baptist Convention’s Richard Land and Christian icon Billy Graham voiced support for Mitt Romney (Graham stopped short of an official endorsement), Obama performed better among white evangelicals than he did in 2008 in some states.

Before the election, many evangelical leaders predicted that opposition to Obama over his support for abortion rights, his personal endorsement of same-sex marriage and his vision of government as a force for good would trump reservations evangelicals had about Romney’s past social liberalism and his Mormon faith.

“There is no evidence in voting patterns that President Obama's 'evolution' on same-sex marriage cost him anything,” Mohler said in another tweet Tuesday night.

Obama also narrowly won Catholics, even after the U.S. Catholic bishops waged a rigorous campaign against the Obama administration around the issue of religious liberty. The bishops alleged Obama was forcing Catholics to violate their own teachings by making health insurance companies provide free contraception coverage for virtually all employees.

John Green, a religion and politics expert at the University of Akron, said Obama’s win among Catholics was partly a testament to the growing Latino demographic.

“Maybe Hispanic Catholics were not as moved by religious liberty-type arguments as by immigration and economics,” he said.

Unlike in 2004, when John Kerry – a former altar boy – lost Catholic voters, the Obama campaign had a robust religious outreach program aimed largely at Catholic and evangelical voters. The effort included videos from Obama and Vice President Joe Biden, a Catholic, talking about their Christian faith.

Obama's success among some religious demographics also illustrated how economic issues, as opposed to culture war concerns, dominated the election cycle.

The defeat Tuesday of two Republican Senate candidates who made national headlines with anti-abortion remarks also raised questions about the Christian right’s power.

In Missouri, U.S. Senate candidate Todd Akin, who in August walked back his remark that "if it's a legitimate rape, the female body has ways to try to shut that whole thing down," lost his bid to unseat Sen. Claire McCaskill, a Democrat.

In Indiana, Republican Senate candidate Richard Mourdock lost his race against Democrat Joe Donnelly after saying last month that pregnancies resulting from rape are “something that God intended to happen.”

Conservative Christians did claim some victories Tuesday night, including helping the GOP retain control of the U.S. House of Representatives and helping elect tea party favorite Ted Cruz as a U.S. senator from Texas.

Ralph Reed, the leader of conservative group the Faith & Freedom Coalition, planned a Wednesday morning press conference to release his data about what he called the enduring influence of “values voters.”

“Preliminary evidence is they turned out and they voted heavily for Romney,” Reed said in an e-mail message Tuesday night.

soundoff(4,434 Responses)

lol. I guess Jesus didn't want a president who fights for the rich and attacks the middle-class and poor afterall!

November 7, 2012 at 5:45 pm |

Woman

Christian Republicans....you need to seperate your religious beliefs from your political ones. You can still follow the Christian doctrine, just stop trying to make the rest of the country follow it. You will be a lot happier.

November 7, 2012 at 5:39 pm |

Susanne OBrien

The religious right ant the tea party have really turned me against voting for a lot – not all republicans. I think for a party to complain consantly about the government having too many regulations for business that it is strange that they support so many regulations of how people conduct their personal lives. I want govenment to stay out of the bedroom and out of politics. Before the "social" issues were forced on us – I really didn't give such things any thought when I pulled the lever in an election. I am a practicing Christian – even a red state one according to the CNN poll – but I'm not interested in making everyone believe exactly as I do. Besides the fact that not all Americans are Christian, even Christians don't all agree on much of anything except Christ.

November 7, 2012 at 5:39 pm |

Susanne OBrien

Uh – I meant I wanted Religion to stay out of politics and government to stay out of the beroom – sorry about that.

November 7, 2012 at 5:43 pm |

Shangey G.

Does anyone know how blacks voted this election?
Was it another 96% for Obama just because of his race?

November 7, 2012 at 5:37 pm |

DeeCee1000

I guess you could say the same for the women's vote, the hispanic vote, the LGBT vote, the under 30 vote, the under $50,000 per yr vote. . . .your GOP is a dying beast still living in the past. Your Party of bitter old white men who hate women's rights and all other minorities is becoming extinct in today's America.

November 7, 2012 at 5:43 pm |

MPS

Do you believe Blacks are not intelligent enough to vote on the issues? While not blatant, in a way your post was the most racist post there could possibly be. Was it on purpose, or are you just ignorant. By the way, I'm white and I voted for Obama (my heart was only half in it– his white half– I would have voted against the black half if I could have).

Good God.

November 7, 2012 at 5:46 pm |

Ken Margo

Remember blacks are the minority. The Prez convinced a lot people, not just black people.

November 7, 2012 at 5:47 pm |

Roger

Can you imagine the percentage of Mormon's who voted for Romney? Actually, I know the answer – it was 100% I imagine that the religious right was somewhere in the neighborhood or 95%, but that number is harder to verify.

November 7, 2012 at 5:47 pm |

Chris, Austin

At least some of them voted for him because the Republican party is full of disgusting people like you.

The world has changed, and you're an anachronism. Go sit on the bench with the mastodon, history is done with you.

November 7, 2012 at 5:54 pm |

Steve

Hmmm, get out much?

November 7, 2012 at 5:55 pm |

Doh

Is that why 76% of the usually conservative Asians voted for Obama? Nah, those typically well-off Asians must secretly be black and are all collecting handouts too.

November 7, 2012 at 7:57 pm |

Richard the godfearer

How come no one has mentioned His weak attempt to help Romney win by sending Sandy around and keeping the poor from voting. Or was that the Devil wanting Obama by slowing the Mittmentum before the race? My head hurts now. Maybe God has just been laughing at both sides.I think he stays out of politics but one thing I do know the thumpers (Bible) all seem to forget basic stuff about what would Jesus do? Or judge not lest you be judged. Another thing the whole Muslim thing, don't they know the horrors good Christians have ignored or actively abetted over the centuries? Pogroms. Crusades. Lynchings. Witch burnings. Theft of continents. Slavery. (Notice the Christian South still tries to remain in the 1800s? Never cede power to the Bibliocrazies you cannot trust them. Progress. Advance. Save the planet. Live simply.

November 7, 2012 at 5:31 pm |

MPS

Rock on Richard! I couldn't have said it better myself. Christians, the original and still best version of the Taliban.

November 7, 2012 at 5:47 pm |

Kevin

The Bible speaks the word of GOD! Who are we to question GOD?
HABAKKUK 2:2-3

2 And the LORD answered me, and said, Write the vision , and make it plain upon tables, that he
may run that readeth it.
3 For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry
wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.
The WORD speaks for its self!!!!

November 7, 2012 at 5:29 pm |

DeeCee1000

Civil marriage has nothing to do with your religion.

November 7, 2012 at 5:30 pm |

Ken Margo

I can question anything I want. It's called freedom of speech. I know crap when I see and hear it. And sir, you're full of crap.

November 7, 2012 at 5:32 pm |

Mittology

Provide some proof that a god exists, that that god is the god of the bible, and that the bible is actually the word of that god.

November 7, 2012 at 5:34 pm |

Syndrin

The WORD speaks for itself?!?!...how about the LUNACY speaks for itself?
Thankfully we don't have to worry about the religious right being in control of the most powerful nation on Earth (which is roughly 4.5 billion years old...lol) for the next 4 years.....time for the conservative side to wake up and realize that public society (not private) is becoming more secular as it should..especially in matters of public policy.....stop playing up the religious angle or continue to be on the losing end....

The bible is a book of bronze age fairy tales. A fart carries more weight than the "word" of your imaginary god.

November 7, 2012 at 5:39 pm |

MPS

Actually Kevin, you just spoke for it. And probably took it out of context too.

November 7, 2012 at 5:48 pm |

Doh

So I should write a book calling myself an outstanding citizen, rob a bank, and then tell the judge I'm an outstanding citizen because the book says so. Right.

November 7, 2012 at 5:49 pm |

EnjaySea

The Bible was written by men Kevin. I don't believe the Bible when the Bible says that the Bible is the word of God.

Why do you think anyone should?

November 7, 2012 at 5:49 pm |

russ

If you don't have a state license, you don't have a marriage. Not even if billy graham himself performed your ceremiony.

November 7, 2012 at 5:26 pm |

JFCanton

The question might be asked how much a state marriage seriously means for two productive adults who trust each other. The state part of marriage for me means that I went to two different courthouses and paid $35. The religious part was the actual important one and we would conceivably have done that by itself had it been offered.

This would also have avoided all the wedding nonsense.

November 7, 2012 at 5:39 pm |

swing state voter

JFCanton – they are both important for different reasons. If your spouse is terribly ill in a hospital, you would want to be able to see them, wouldn't you? Unless you are legally married, you could be turned away.

November 7, 2012 at 5:49 pm |

MPS

I'm married Russ, to my wife. Here's how we did it– we told each other we took each other as husband and wife, and we did it before the God of our understanding. We do not have a marriage license from a state. That's a legal agreement and it has nothing to do with our marriage which is sanctified before God. Go **** yourself.

November 7, 2012 at 5:49 pm |

JFCanton

Matters like hospital visitation problems are a result of using the marriage status as a placeholder for too many tangentially related issues. It never really was appropriate. (If you're straight you can just lie to the hospital, anyway... it's not like they ask you for the marriage license...) The real challenge for gays is not really being able to check off that box, but getting it to be socially unacceptable to be a "male genital" about gays in general. That is a longer process, and I'm not sure the approach that was taken in Maryland really advances that because it unnecessarily offended the 48% of the population that didn't vote for it.

November 7, 2012 at 6:36 pm |

religion is a fable

Unfortunately religion, or more specifically the Christian right's influence in NOT diminished enough. However, I will say that in 2012 it is losing credibility by the day and less people are influenced by religion than I have ever seen. It makes most of the religious right nervous and when they get nervous they get angry and sometimes violent. But I am pleased to see religion on a decline in the U.S. and my hope is that it will someday be eradicated completely from human culture altogether. Perhaps when we elect an Atheist President that will start the wheels turning, if Australia can elect an Atheist Prime Minister the United States certainly can do the same with the Presidency. Remember. . . There. Are. No. Gods! And you know it is true!

November 7, 2012 at 5:25 pm |

Alip

So, why are you so angry about people being religious? (I am not being sarcastic or antagonistic) Why do you care? I know a lot of people who don't believe in God, but I do. It doesn't make me want to start a campaign to squash their Godlessness. Let's just let people believe if they would like and if they don't...that is their choice. Too much anger out there to gain any sort of mutual understanding for each other. We need to stop it.

November 7, 2012 at 5:34 pm |

Mittology

Alip, Because a lot of religious types are intolerant. "If you don't live your life the way I think you should, you are evil and will be damned," and "My religion is so important it must be prominent in your lives."

November 7, 2012 at 5:41 pm |

Qman

So you're saying the belief of No God/Athiesm should have more say, or should outlaw all laws of which are currently in place that may have religious ties?

Hardly a double standard don't you think? Basically, people whom don't believe in anything enforcing their belief over those who do is the same of which you are portraying as "the better option" Your views, of which I do respect, won't help anymore than what you're fighting against.

Religion, or the lack of isn't the issue. Its the acceptance of individual beliefs and peoples enforcement of their own views onto others that is the issue. So regardless if we have an Atheist,Christian, Muslim ect. president, shouldn't have NO baring on any laws of the people.

Point being – having more or less of religious/atheist people in office, or in a certain country won't change anything. In the end, it's the views of each and every individual whom lives in the USA that matters the most.

November 7, 2012 at 5:51 pm |

JFCanton

Yes, people need to be tolerant. But how much so? I attempted to post this response to an earlier discussion but apparently fell afoul of the s-x word, so I'll try again with a bit of editing:

God as a human idea overlaps very significantly with secular Fate. We make some choices for which we are punished by fate and some for which we are rewarded. These become received wisdom and in turn become "morality."

It's plenty defensible to question the details, like how we understand gays. But received wisdom is there because it was as close to a "right" judgment as previous people could get given the information available to them at the time... information which was quite nearly as complete as ours when it comes to daily life. People didn't need to understand science to be able to figure out that Fate favored a society whose members were able to keep it in their pants most of the time, for example. So it's hard to arrive at a conclusion other than that it is contemptible to dismiss the whole thing out of hand.

November 7, 2012 at 5:55 pm |

McShannon

Southern Baptist church members are dedicated to their pastors in almost a cultist relationship. These pastors are truly an arm of the Republican Party and often express political preferences from the pulpit. I recently stopped attending what I thought was my church because politics from the pulpit got me very angry. The truth is these seemingly dedicated and Christ loving people are easily swayed and controlled.

November 7, 2012 at 5:23 pm |

swing state voter

Which is exactly what the current republican party is counting on. They are playing these people for their votes by mouthing what they want to hear.

November 7, 2012 at 5:28 pm |

Alip

I agree. I don't think politics should be talked about from the pulpit. I am Mormon and was very happy to hear when our church reminded our clergy (and members) that it wasn't okay to promote political views in our congregations. They refused to support any particular candidate.

November 7, 2012 at 5:38 pm |

Qman

I completely agree with you alip.

November 7, 2012 at 5:58 pm |

yamamoto

All i fear has been done is to awaken a sleeping giant and fill him with a terrible resolve.

November 7, 2012 at 5:23 pm |

DeeCee1000

The "sleeping giant" is the growing minorities and younger generations who overwhelmingly reject bigotry.

"Values Voters": code for christian white men. There's just not enough of them anymore for Republicans to ever win a presidential election again.

November 7, 2012 at 5:22 pm |

DeeCee1000

Amen to THAT!

November 7, 2012 at 5:25 pm |

God's Oldest Dreamer

Demoralizing the ebbs and flows of societal propogandist leverages seems to be all that politics can muster up nowadays. Just exactly how free is one when regarding personal freedoms to choose one's 'recreational' drugs of choice or for that matter how to gamble or where one can pay for s3x? Is Big brother always going to mother its' citizens creating in the folds many phobias due the illegalities of what I deem to be personal choices? Moral choices are personal choices and governments should not make personal choices in all manner of moralities.

November 7, 2012 at 5:15 pm |

Certainly Hopeso

Well it's about time. Religion is a plague on this planet!

November 7, 2012 at 5:15 pm |

God's Oldest Dreamer

Certainly Hopeso,

Religion should ever be a personal choice and not be made a public spectacle as many so do including the Christian Pharisees who incite their folds to make public policymakers shudder with mono-phobiatic fear. I love my imaginative yearnings about God and His Godly others, yet I will not make you believe in them. Yes, keep those Pharisees of religious dominations apart and away from public policymakers! Keep also away from governing bodies all those who acclimate disseminations of moralisms that fall upon a persons rights to choose be it any drug use or choice of gambling or paying for s3x! We are all moral people no matter our choices we make!

November 7, 2012 at 5:35 pm |

i_know_everything

neither Christian nor right

November 7, 2012 at 5:09 pm |

KRHODES

I love it...whenever a party wins an election they state the opposite party is done. Pure nonsense, just look at the numbers. Obama did win...but by a smaller electoral margin than 2008. It seems to me that if it was the case that the republican party is collapsing, then wouldn't it follow the gap would have been larger instead of smaller? Liberals have no sense when it comes to these things...and they are supposed to be the smart ones? The republicans are not going to abandon the religious right...who will vote for them?

November 7, 2012 at 5:07 pm |

Leif

The GOP lost the independent vote because of the etreme fringe. Candidates like Akin will continue to lose. They deserve to lose. If the GOP wants to win, it should move back towards the center and stop listening to blowhards like Limbaugh and spinners of fantasy like Karl Rove.

November 7, 2012 at 5:17 pm |

Andy

Romney did impress with some numbers, no doubt. But I think it is fair to say support of the Christian right is dwindling based on the overall changes in demographics that seem to be taking place at an ever increasing rate.

November 7, 2012 at 5:17 pm |

Ken Margo

Stop whining about the size of the victory. bottom line OBAMA won. You're right though the republicans will still cater to the religious right wing whack jobs. As long as the democrats focus on people and problems, they will continue to win.

November 7, 2012 at 5:23 pm |

joe dokes

Yes, I love it too when Republicans don't realize they are losing power as each day passes. The GOP is completely out of touch with anyone younger than 40. It's become the old white man's party and that's all it will likely ever be. What happened last night will happen over and over again. Until the Republican party throws out the tea party and the Jesus freaks, they will continue their decline. It's simple math.

November 7, 2012 at 5:31 pm |

swing state voter

Meh, if the economy had been better it would have been a landslide in favor of Obama.

November 7, 2012 at 5:31 pm |

Ol' Yeller

Know this... the republicans won over 60% of the white vote and lost the election... this have never before happened. The republicans have purged their party of almost all moderates. The republicans have no planks in their platform which will draw in younger voters, minorities, or sane women. The party is extremely fragmented between the neo cons/tea baggers and what is left of the moderates (the ones who have been pretending to be nutjobs to try and save the party). Though the the republicans may never die out as a party (not in our lifetime) they are going to have to do some major restructuring or they will never win another majority. This may not be the demise of the party, but it isn't going to further their agenda either.
Peace.

November 7, 2012 at 5:52 pm |

MPS

For the most part you are right, but I think it's different this time. I truly believe that the Republican party, unless it fundamentally changes it's views and starts to protect the rights of people the same way it protects businesses, is done for as we know it today. Young people, gays, and minorities are not going to sway to their party, and if the party does not sway to them it will be over, and it will be over permanently whether the name lives on or not.

November 7, 2012 at 5:53 pm |

Ken Margo

Now that OBAMA has won. Either G-od doesn't care or doesn't exist. Lets stop the religious nonsense and get to work.

November 7, 2012 at 5:07 pm |

RobK

God has always let humans choose their path, either away from him into depravity and oblivion, or towards him to eternal salvation.

November 7, 2012 at 5:09 pm |

KRHODES

What nonsense...the election of Obama has no bearing on whether God exist or not.

November 7, 2012 at 5:10 pm |

OOO

For crying out loud folks, prove that the election of one person in one country on one planet in one galaxy in one universe proves the existance of god.

November 7, 2012 at 5:14 pm |

Ken Margo

The religious right on this blog quote the bible, question his religion and say all kind of christian crap. I'm sure a lot of them prayed for him to lose, and he didn't. what does that tell you?

KRHODES. Didn't you read what you were writing before the election. You know: Prayer works, Obama is not a christian, etc.
If there were a god it would stand to reason it would get behind its supporters.
Show us some proof that a god exists.

What are you talking about? We have freewill to do what we want...just because the election did not go a certain way means nothing.

November 7, 2012 at 5:29 pm |

Mittology

RobK, so where does prayer fit into this equation? how can this god be omnipotent?
Provide some proof that your god exists.

November 7, 2012 at 5:31 pm |

KRHODES

Mittology

"KRHODES. Didn't you read what you were writing before the election. You know: Prayer works, Obama is not a christian, etc.
If there were a god it would stand to reason it would get behind its supporters.
Show us some proof that a god exists."

Obviously you have never read the Bible. As far as proof of Gods existence...well you and i exist don't we? There must be something greater or we would not exist? Give me some proof he does not?

November 7, 2012 at 5:33 pm |

Ken Margo

@krhodes We got here the same way all creatures get here. didn't you study biology?

November 7, 2012 at 5:42 pm |

KRHODES

Ken Margo

"@krhodes We got here the same way all creatures get here. didn't you study biology?"

And that would have been how?

November 7, 2012 at 5:53 pm |

Ol' Yeller

@RobK- No, God let's man choose when things don't go your way. If things turn out the way you wanted, then it was God's will. You guys have been using that same old schtick for centuries now and it is (pardon the pun) getting old. If you want to believe in God, please do so and attend one of the many free Churches offered here in the land of the free... but, do not cry foul and 'war on religion' every time you lose an election or things don't go your way. Playing the victim is really, really, pitiful.

November 7, 2012 at 6:01 pm |

Mittology

KRHODES. No comment on your previous posting then.
As far as proof of god's existence: the fact that we exist only means that we exist.Science explains back to the Big Bang so no need for god after that. Before we don't know but if you can believe that a god can just exist why not the singularity before the Big Bang. You are making the asserion that a god exists so the burden of proof is on you. And the words of iron age goat herders are not evidence.

November 7, 2012 at 6:04 pm |

Ken Margo

@krhodes...... I would go into details, but it probably wouldn't make it into the blog. :)

November 7, 2012 at 6:12 pm |

KRHODES

Mittology

"KRHODES. No comment on your previous posting then.
As far as proof of god's existence: the fact that we exist only means that we exist.Science explains back to the Big Bang so no need for god after that. Before we don't know but if you can believe that a god can just exist why not the singularity before the Big Bang. You are making the asserion that a god exists so the burden of proof is on you. And the words of iron age goat herders are not evidence.

If science explains all back to the big bang then certainly science can explain what caused the big bang right? How about "spontaneous generation" if no God was needed? What began life on this planet and surely there is proof of it? Oh...and evolution which is a blind process...surely we have proof of that occurring? Actually we do not so my point still stands. If we as contingent beings exist...then there must exist something greater than ourselves...law of causality. You certainly did not refute my claim other than to make statements that science does not prove. So your "science" argument falls short.

November 7, 2012 at 6:20 pm |

Rainer Braendlein Jr.

My dad's on der way mit some fresh new posts for you all.

November 7, 2012 at 5:00 pm |

Rainer Alert

Oh mein Gott, fiehen.

November 7, 2012 at 5:09 pm |

jr66

I hope the religious right gets out of politics. They are so repulsive that they have turned many against religion. Their beliefs are more centered on the old testament and are far from Christ's teachings. We need two viable political parties and as long as the republicans include extremists, we will not have that.

November 7, 2012 at 4:59 pm |

RobK

Christ's teachings encompasses all the law and prophets.

November 7, 2012 at 5:08 pm |

Steve - Texas

i agree, religious right needs to get out of politics and start focusing on the New Testament.. leave the fire and brimestone hatred alone.

FYI.... Ted Cruz did not need any evangelical help... the fact he won the Republican Primary assured him a fall victory.. Now, after 6 years with the total whack-job... I hope Texans come to their senses and thro the nut out....

The CNN Belief Blog covers the faith angles of the day's biggest stories, from breaking news to politics to entertainment, fostering a global conversation about the role of religion and belief in readers' lives. It's edited by CNN's Daniel Burke with contributions from Eric Marrapodi and CNN's worldwide news gathering team.